—President Ali says, outlines massive plans to accelerate talks on deepwater port, other massive projects
GUYANA will intensify engagement with regional and international partners in the coming days as it moves to position itself as a transshipment hub and fast-track the building of a deep-water port and other gas infrastructure projects, President Dr. Irfaan Ali has said.
Speaking at the weekend, during the commissioning of the Guyana Technical Training College Inc. (GTTCI) at Port Mourant, he told stakeholders that decisions are expected before the end of the first quarter on key infrastructure to strengthen the country’s oil and gas sector.
“In the next coming days, you’ll hear us talking about phase two gas, and we have to get that done before 2030, before the end of this first quarter; all the critical decisions will be made as to what we’re doing,” the President said.
Today, Guyana’s Energy Conference Supply Chain Expo will see global leaders converging under the theme ‘Building Tomorrow’s Future Today’. It is anticipated that many discussions here will foster tangible outcomes and investments.
“Right now we have finalised with one of the top international companies, Bechtel, and they are now doing the financial feasibility for that port, and that, of course, will lead into the opportunities for investment and financing,” he explained further.
TRANSHIPMENT
President Ali also revealed that a delegation led by the governor of Brazil’s state of Roraima is expected shortly to begin formal discussions on transshipment, with Guyana being positioned as a logistics gateway for northern Brazil. He said these talks form part of a broader master plan to transform the country into a regional trade and energy hub.
“We have a team led by the governor of the state of Roraima coming in to kickstart conversation on transshipment and Guyana becoming a transshipment hub for the state of Roraima. So, a lot of things will be happening in the coming days,” he said, adding: “We want all of these things to be on point by 2030 for no other reason but that I feel this responsibility is on my shoulder as President; I do not want to pass this burden or this weight on to someone else. I would rather they inherit the fruits of the collective hard labour of all of us in this country.”
Emphasising the urgency of the timeline, he underscored the government’s commitment to having key infrastructure and development pillars firmly in place by 2030.
DEEPER UNDERSTANDING
He further pointed to the need for a deeper national understanding of development planning and economic transformation, noting that effective policymaking requires an appreciation of long-term strategy, regional integration, and the complex processes that drive national growth.
He cited the recent conclusion of contributions and debates to the national assembly during the scrutiny of the $1.558 trillion 2026 Budget from the parliamentary opposition.
“Now it’s also important for us to understand that this is a master plan, I’ve listened to presentations in the budget, and I really believe that we should have some training in how national development works and how the process of development takes place. The type of simplistic narrative shows an immense lack of understanding of how national development takes place,” the President said.
“The (members of parliament) MPs, you know, they look at things in a very simplistic, narrow way, without understanding economic implications and understanding how societies are structured …You know, especially from the opposition, mostly from the opposition, maybe completely from the opposition, on how these things work,” he added.
The president opined that it is optimal for Guyana to have a parliamentary opposition that can critically and analytically understand the trajectory of the country’s growth.
